Vice of Weeds
by Sythe.Rising
Summary: Illegally racing cars, Bella has become something of an enigma in the three years since she left Forks. Returning for her father's wedding, she's distressed by the changes that are overtaking her body. She's losing height and nature is freakishly attracted to her. Seriously, it's molesting her, and it doesn't help that Paul keeps taking her clothes off. OOC, creature!Bella, AU
1. Chapter 1

(A/N): Okay, so this is a completely different plot for me, because I've never written creature-ish Bella before, so I hope it's acceptable. Unlike _Black Sun_ , the swearing and debauchery will be kept to a minimum. This is a three shot, chapter two will be uploaded sometime this week. Finally, I know a little bit about cars, I have four brothers who are obsessed with Ferrari's and anything fast, so foreknowledge is available to me.

(Full Summary): Illegally racing cars, Bella Swan has become something of an enigma in the three years since she left Forks. Returning for her father's wedding, she's distressed by the changes that are overtaking her body. She's losing height and nature is freakishly attracted to her. Seriously, it keeps molesting her. It doesn't help that Paul keeps trying to get her naked. He's excessively dominant, and his massively increased size is a major turn on for _virgin_ Bella. The fact that he's been experiencing similar, body altering, changes is another problem. **AU, OOC, Creature!Bella, Dominant!Paul, sexual situations-starting chapter two, and slight femslash.  
**

(Disclaimer): I do not own _Twilight_ or its characters, Stephenie Meyer does. I do, however, own _Vice of Weeds_ , and any OCs I create.

* * *

 **B** ella took a harsh breath, her right hand gripped the gear stick roughly as she shifted up, her left foot pushing the clutch before flooring the gas when the car's engine made the reverberating hum of acknowledgement she was waiting for. She pulled her vehicle up tight against a sky-blue Porsche Cayman, the _God awful_ car fully equipped; the driver had pumped so much cash into it Bella was surprised the vehicle had been entered in the run.

Her auburn hair was wild, tendrils curling loose around her heart shaped face; plump rose-tinted lips were widened in a gorgeous grin, and whiskey colored eyes gleamed bright in the lights of the other competitors' cars. Waking up that morning, she hadn't planned on entering the run, then again, fifty thousand was something she could not ignore, and her driving skills made winning very easy.

"Blind side," Mav, Bella's second, growled through her headset, a mixture of laughter and knowing toning his voice. "You're such a cheap bitch; that's a fucking destructor on the scale of street race etiquette." Bella laughed, turning her head to lock eyes with the driver she was overtaking, but the person was hidden by near black tinted windows as she flew past. Dropping gears, she pulled the emergency brake on a turn, her body pushing tight against the door, tires sounding out harsh _womp, womp, womp_ tones on the concrete below.

"Can I just say, this is illegal? So, etiquette is pointless." Bella smirked, as her Nissan GT-R leveled out, her left foot punched the clutch and her right hand shifted the gear stick up, the building engine pressure signaling the allowance of increased speed. She was packed in tight between a trashed Toyota Supra MK4 and a blood red BMW M3; they blocked her on both sides, and the shitty Mazda in front of her wasn't helping her win.

Pushing out an aggravated breath, she dropped back slightly, falling behind the Porsche again, before wrenching the wheel to the left, sending her car into oncoming traffic. The road was a straightaway, and her reflexes pushed the GT-R hard; she bobbed and weaved, barely sliding past a delivery truck whose horn blared out an angry scream.

Shifting gears and picking up speed even more, she unleashed her car on the other drivers, fitting the Nissan into a small gap in front of the BMW and the Toyota, before hitting the accelerator again, burning up past one-forty.

"Jesus, Bella! What the fuck were you thinking?" Mav's voice came in angry and hard, growling out a dark timbre that filled her head.

Not answering, she overtook another car, then another, and finally Bella was pushing for first, competing with a beefed up Ford Shelby; the GT500 had coasted on solo for the last twenty minutes of the race, and the driver was overconfident which allowed for an easy win.

"We're going to have words, Swan. That was un-fucking-acceptable." Mav cut into her victory bubble; Bella's tires squealed as she pushed hard on the brakes, backing down from a speed that would have given Charlie a coronary. The other drivers slid to break, their tires leaving thick black marks on the concrete below.

Stepping out, the muggy Phoenix weather ate away at her already wild hair, whipping strands around Bella's face. The crowd was roaring, camera flashes pulsing from cellphones, and her heart thumped wildly in excitement. She pulled off her headset and tossed it towards the passenger seat, wincing as it cracked against the door frame. _Smooth_ , she thought, but what was expensive equipment that wasn't durable? She kept that thought to herself, as Mav's pissed face floated through the surrounding crowd, but a gentle smile sent his way had the man calming, a resigned frown covering his strong lips.

When one of the race valets pulled the keys from Bella's hand and took her Nissan to go park, she was surrounded once again. She accepted congratulations from the other drivers who handed it out, words of thanks falling from her mouth, and a blush covering her pale skin from neck up.

The winning pot was passed around, payouts filling it to bursting, the rest would be wired to her bank account, before it was handed to Bella. The rough texture of the bag was slippery in her fingers, nearly falling to the ground when she finally had a hold of her winnings. In the three years since she'd left Forks, Bella had completely changed, but her klutziness would always remain the same.

"Bell, you good?" Mav asked, finally reaching her through the throng of people, his hands grasping harshly at her hips, pulling her flush against his large—six-foot seven-inch, hulking frame. He was the brother she never had, so protective of her ever increasingly small figure that she sometimes feared for his own safety. His boyfriend, Bella's best friend, Eric, was her fashion guide and free lighting psychiatrist.

When they first met - Eric and Bella - she had been so broken. Destroyed after Edward's cruel departure and nearly torn to shreds after Jacob's breaking of their friendship; Bella had hardly been able to function. Everything she had known was tossed in her face, and the bridges she had begun to build crumbled to ash and bones. Eric had been so kind and heartwarming, the child of Phil's close friend, he had helped Bella to rebuild the fortress inside of herself, the walls thicker, defenses stronger, and ultimately she had flourished.

He had tossed out her frumpy _—"Degrading, these clothes are horrid!"—_ wardrobe, soon as the two had passed the line of best friends, pulling her to one of the higher end shopping districts in Tucson, Phil's credit card twirling in Eric's hand the whole time. She had left with body hugging dresses, glove like jeans, soft buttery sweaters, t-shirts that felt like silk, blouses that made her look wealthy and sophisticated, underthings that had her feeling like sin _—"You look sexy, Bella! Stop hiding behind the damned curtain!"_ —and shoes, so many shoes that Bella wasn't sure she'd wear them all.

Another change had come in way of her step father's baseball career. He had been drafted and the major leagues had finally taken notice of what Bella already knew - that Phil was an amazing baseball player. The Arizona Diamondbacks had chosen him, and he was set to play first string on third base this upcoming season. The job upgrade had come with a pay raise too, and soon they moved out of the tiny two bedrooms in Mesa, into a large, five-bedroom mansion on the outskirts of Phoenix.

Everything seemed to fall into place after that, Eric had met Mav, who introduced Bella to the underground racing lines of Arizona and her addiction to fast cars. It hadn't been planned, she'd always been a little bit of a safety nut, but the thrill fast cars and large sums of money caused was too hard to resist. She'd been shit at driving though. Marie—Mav's sister—had spent nearly six months with Bella behind the wheel teaching her how to "feel" a car, drive stick, use the clutch, and become one of the best street racers in Arizona and the surrounding states.

Mav's tug at the hem of her black t-shirt had Bella returning to the present. "What?" She asked, her voice smoky with excitement. Mav raised an eyebrow at her lack of attention, pulling her away from the thinning crowd towards the warehouse hidden in the shadows. Patterned lights pulsed from broken windowpanes and heavy trance music pumped from the building.

Entering an after run party always got her excited; vintage and fresh, barely on the market, vehicles filled allotted parking spots, their hoods pushed up, beefed out engines on display, thick styles of music blasting from top of the line speakers. Bella spotted her Nissan over in the corner, surrounded by a large group of men, and headed that direction. All the while Mav followed behind her, his body heat burning into her back, something that sent a harsh burn of memories through her heart.

"Bella!" The excited shout came from somewhere ahead of them, and soon her small frame was grappling to hold on to a much larger form. She pushed at wild tendrils of blond hair that suddenly filled her mouth, and shied away from groping hands that touched her in inappropriate places.

"Bethany," Bella murmured, lightly slapping at the wandering hands once more, trying to ignore the older woman's smoldering gaze. "It's so nice to see you." She smiled, her lips widening in true happiness, before her face flushed in embarrassment when Bethany bent down to place a chaste kiss on her lips. "Stop that." She admonished, pulling out of the other woman's arms, to gaze up into bright green eyes.

Bethany was beautiful, the daughter to a powerful, crime connected father, ripped right out of a Calvin Klein advertisement. She towered over Bella, well over six-foot, and her body was that of a sex goddess. Tonight Bethany wore a red, skin tight bondage dress with little slips of risqué flesh flashing through sheer cuts of gossamer paneling, and high heels that made Bethany's legs look _amazing_. She tried not to blush even more as the woman's heated eyes gave Bella another once over, a knowing smirk covering her lips when she noticed Bella's staring. Clothed in dark jeans, a miniscule black t-shirt, and combat boots, Bella looked sexy and available. At least, that's what Eric had told her as he chose the outfit.

" _You've been single since I've known you. Do you want to die alone?"_ Eric had lilted out, his melodic voice dreamy as he perused Bella's closet, his lean legs clothed in dark-grey slacks, and a pale blue dress shirt covered his muscled upper body. He'd turned to face her, green eyes wide in mock worry.

" _Not fair!"_ Bella had whined. _"You didn't even have a boyfriend before Maverick!"_

Eric had laughed, before going back to complaining about Bella's lack of a love life.

"I'm well," Bethany husked out, her hand cupping at Bella's cheek, thumb brushing against her lower lip. Another blush worked over her face, and she bit her lip in response, trying to ignore the sudden intake of breath Bethany took, as well as the flaring heat in the woman's eyes. "Though you appear to have shortened once more. I thought the purpose of puberty was to _grow_ not shrink, Bella."

Bella huffed out a breath, her small hands pushed unmanageable hair from her eyes. "That's so mean, Bethany. You _know_ I have no idea what's going on!" She let out a gust of irritated air, a pout forming on her lips, and crossed her arms in a defensive posture.

Bethany laughed, her fingers ghosting over Bella's abdomen, hands settling on Bella's hips, and she squeezed lightly causing a blush to cover Bella's face. Again. "Yes, yes, Bella. The ever mystery. I distinctly remember you reaching _at least_ my chin when we first met. Now you barely ghost my shoulder." She and Mav shared a knowing look, chuckling darkly.

Bella _had_ been shrinking, it was true, and it freaked her out. She'd never had a height complex before, but now her ever shortening size offended her. It didn't help that she was always being picked up or tossed around easily by Mav and his family, the large men seemed to enjoy Bella's small frame. Eric, on the other hand, was extremely worried, and since his father was one of the world's top orthopedists, he was always pushing her to visit more specialists, have more tests. Eric was near sick with worry sometimes.

Cutting into her thoughts, Bethany bent low, her lips brushing Bella's ear as she husked out, "Have you considered the offer I gave you?" Her thumb caressed Bella's bottom lips, and she sucked in a breath when Bella accidentally brushed the appendage with her tongue, her only intent to wet her suddenly dry lips.

Bella blushed again, nervous and slightly embarrassed as Mav's eyebrows raised in question, his posture becoming one of apparent interest. "Offer?" His voice was full of curiosity. His large frame was a little intimidating, if Bella was honest, and a battle seemed to war between the two.

"Nothing to worry over, Gull." Bethany said, the use of his last name a hidden sign that they were not friends, and all apparent comfortableness the two had shared vanished.

Mav let out a snort, pulling Bella out of Bethany's arms and flush against his front, his heated body warming her sudden freezing one. "I think it is, if Bella's concerned." Mav's body tensed, light shudders running down the arms that held Bella tightly, and gruff unhappy rumbles came from his chest. Bethany straightened in response, a sneer falling over her beautiful face.

"It's none of your business." She stretched her arm out, fingers brushing against Bella's own, almost as if she were unable to help herself. A rumble of dislike came from Mav and Bethany stopped the contact, eyes flashing to Mav.

"Bella is my business, Bethany."

Something in Bethany's gaze seemed to change, a form flowing under the surface as viridian green eyes flashed silver, causing Bella to suck in a harsh breath, before the woman was nodding in acceptance. Bethany bent down brushing gentle fingers over Bella's cheek before kissing her softly, but fully on the mouth; a blush bloomed bright on Bella's face, before the other woman vanished into the crowd surrounding.

"Bethany…" Bella whispered out, touching her fingers to her kiss-swollen lips, her eyes searching for the woman in the ever growing crowd. A shudder worked its way over her body and suddenly she was very cold.

She tried not to flash back to memories of the past, eyes of the past, but Bella was still consumed. No. No. The silver had been a trick of the light, just her imagination. There was nothing here that she had to fear. Vampires were long gone from her life and everything was fine. It was fine.

A huge jacket was placed over her shoulders, and Mav's arm wrapped tightly around her small, shivering form. "Bella, baby, are you alright?" He pulled her tight into his body, both arms now holding her.

Little shocks of static seemed to be prickling her skin, because every time Mav made full contact jolts of electricity burst from her fingers. "It's the jacket," Mav soothed, fingers stroking her hair as she let out an exasperated hiss at his gentle handling of her. Irritation always flared when she was coddled. "Let's get you home."

Not waiting for her to answer, Mav opened the passenger door of her Nissan, gently placing Bella inside before buckling her in, ignoring her annoyed pout. "I'll be right back." He whispered, and when he gently touched her hand a massive spark had him stumbling back and letting out a violent curse. Bella giggled lightly, before frowning in thought.

The electric shocks were tame compared to recent events. Blooming flowers where she stepped, clinging weeds wrapping around her feet, sliding up her legs perversely when she stood too long in the grass…and that was just the small things. Her sudden ability to feel the earth and its life essence, was a large development. If she touched any semblance of nature, a wave of serenity and pure power surrounded Bella and a steady _thump, thump, thump_ of the earth's heart would thread through her body.

Bella needed to go home, she needed to sleep, and she needed to not think about _anything_. Thoughts were assaulting Bella and visions of the past—vampires—were creeping up on her. Bella's heart hurt, an ache deep in her stomach, and the image of viridian eyes flashing silver kept replaying in her mind. There was no relation, none. Trick of the light, had to be, because she was _fine._ She'd done as Edward asked, forgotten the Cullen family ever existed, so the inflow of thoughts was completely unacceptable, she was past being weak and helpless.

Tuning back, she stared out the window at Mav who was speaking close to an older man, hands gesturing wildly, before they both turned to look at her. The man nodded and turned back to Mav, saying something else before slapping Mav on the back and walking away. Mav jogged back to the car, tucking something into his pocket, and soon he was inside, buckling his seatbelt, starting the car, and pulling out of the warehouse to take her home.

"What did he give you?" Bella asked.

"Another one of your winnings." Mav smirked and tossed a set of car keys at her.

Bella sucked in a breath, staring down at the Audi insignia, the square, almost _non-key-like_ key she held.

"It's an RS 7."

"Oh my god." Bell whispered out.

"TSFI."

"Jesus."

Mav laughed, big booming guffaws that had the Nissan shaking.

"Shut up!" Bella groaned, digging the key into her palm as she squeezed her hand shut around it. "Do you have any _idea_ how much _that costs?_ " The number was massive, not as much as the house she was building in Forks, but _a lot_.

 _Home_ , she was going home soon. To her father, his wedding was in three weeks, and she was going to be around him as much as possible. He'd already told her that he couldn't afford a honeymoon, let alone have time off for one. That was fine though, and Bella was given more of a reason to stay instead of an excuse to leave.

She had the money for the car she had just won, but spending that much on anything was stomach rolling. The house was extravagant, not what Bella would have chosen, but Eric had claimed portions of it for himself. He would be staying with her occasionally, and he only allowed the best. Three floors, including an underground garage big enough for fifteen cars—already delivered, six bedrooms, four full baths, an indoor and outdoor pool, massive family area, a chef's dream kitchen, and a library fit for a queen.

She thanked a higher power daily for the investor that was her best friend. She couldn't even begin to process how he knew the market so well, how he brought in so much money for her every month. It didn't seem to matter what she bought, the winnings from her races were always placed into investments that seemed to build the instant her money touched them.

Her mother had _no idea_ how wealthy Bella had become, how wealthy Eric was. The billions she had growing daisies in her bank account scared her. It was _too much_ money. Way too much. She donated millions to charities, but it always returned, nearly three times as much at the end of the month.

Sometimes it made her sick, and scared, but mostly sick. She'd hated shopping, abhorred spending money, but now, if she didn't spend _something_ , the amount just seemed to build. How was she not on the Forbes list by now? She'd met Bill Gates once, asshole, complete asshole, but all she'd been able to think about was how she probably had just as much, if not _more money_ than he did. Who gloats about that? Really?

She'd zoned out on the drive, and somehow Mav was already pulling into her parents' driveway, parking her Nissan and hopping out. She stumbled slightly when a howl came from off in the distance. Mav tensed, glanced around, and pulled her towards her house.

Shuffling towards the door, she hadn't realized how exhausted she was until a long yawn was pulled out of her and her eyes had a sudden heavy quality to them.

When the howl came again, long and low this time, Mav seemed to tense even more, his back straightening and a low growl coming from his chest. Sighing in acceptance, he gave her a quick hug an order of 'get some sleep', and informed her that the Audi she'd won would be dropped off later tomorrow, before heading back down the driveway.

Closing the door behind her as he left, she quickly ripped it back open, intending on asking him how he would be making it home without a vehicle, only to find her driveway completely empty and no trace of Mav around.

Closing the door once again, she furrowed her brow in confusion before shrugging her shoulders. Mav was resourceful, she didn't need to worry.

With that thought in mind, she headed upstairs to bed.

* * *

 **T** hree weeks later and Bella was finally re-entering Forks, Washington. She'd chosen to drive over flying above the clouds, and her BMW i8 had stripped away the highway in its speed.

Slowing down as the 'Welcome to Forks' sign passed on her right, she took the familiar route to Charlie's, before turning off on a side road that led to her new home. Driving through town, she found that not much had changed. Newton Outdoors still stood, glaringly large in the small town, the local diner was still bursting with customers, and Forks high school still remained normal in its outwards appearance.

She'd expected a tight pulse of pain to fill her when she saw the high school, and her fingers had tightened on the steering wheel in anticipation, but nothing had come. A wave of calm had come over her, and bitter memories had bloomed, but the gaping wound that had consumed her heart was closed now. Sadness was not new to her, but that had blossomed in her chest when she thought of how happy she had once been with the Cullen family. The dangerous vampires that had been her _whole world_ for such a brief period of time.

Driving down the gravel road, she rounded the last corner, and then her new home was looming in the distance. The house sat in a large, open area of the surrounding forest; its hulking frame made less intimidating by cream paneling, dark green shutters, and a lush garden front.

Bella tried to ignore how the forest closed in around her presence, tree limbs stretching out in searching hands, vines of ivy growing thick along the road as she drove. She pulled around the circular driveway, parking near the front door entrance.

Stepping out, her feet were instantly wrapped in caressing weeds; their hordes of stems and leaves brushed against her body in a groping manner, before they settled back into the ground, vanishing through gaps in the concrete.

"Everything. Is. Fine." Bella gasped a heated flush covering her face, body frozen in shock at the far too sexual touch. "Totally normal, it's so regular. Everyone gets molested by plants."

She squatted down quickly, a mixture of curiosity and wariness filling her, and reached out her fingers towards the freshly laid grass seed. Bella brushed the earth gently before pulling away in a shot of fear. Startling green grass blazed up from the ground, bodies of nature sprouting around the large front yard of her home. Where once there had been seed, lush grass and wildflowers bloomed, in a motion almost like an ocean wave sweeping across the yard.

"Totally normal." Bella whispered to herself, before turning away from the spectacle and walking around to the back of her car. She grabbed two large suitcases and a heavy side bag from the trunk, still surprised by the amount of space the i8 held.

She pulled her house keys out of her purse and dragged both bags towards the house, struggling with their weight, and clumsily opened the door. Setting them in the entrance of the massive foyer, she turned back to grab the last bag, only to stumble back in shock. Swirling up on a bed of thick nettle, the bag was set down gently inside the entryway.

Pulling up slightly, task complete, the vines twirled thin tendrils of stems in a move not unlike a wave, almost seeming pleased with themselves. Then, in perverse fashion, a stray vine worked its way towards her, brushing against her breasts, running over the top of her buttocks, and caressing far too high on her inner thighs. Blushing bright red, Bella slapped at the offending plant, and almost thought she heard laughter.

Once more the vine seemed to wave at her, and Bella reciprocated with a dazed wiggle of her fingers, before starting, jaw gaping, as the vines fell back, pushing down into the earth of her yard.

"So not normal." She hissed, and slammed the door in her haste to separate herself from the outside world.

 **F** inally, Bella's bags unpacked, she headed downstairs. She mentally thanked herself for agreeing to Eric's idea of hiring an interior designer— _"Really, Bella?_ You _want to shop for furniture? I don't think so. It's a struggle for you to dress yourself; I don't even want to_ think _what type of designing would go into your new home_. _"_

Sprawling on a charcoal colored chaise in front of the large bay windows in her living room, she pulled her phone out of her pocket, and double tapped the screen. She grinned in happiness when she saw a text message notification on the screen from both Eric and Mav, a missed call from her father, and an email from her mother.

She slid her finger across the missed phone call notification, pulling up her father's contact information, before she lightly pressed the green phone image, and raised the device against her ear.

After two rings her father's gruff voice answered the phone. "Bella, where are you?"

Bella laughed, lying fully back on the chaise, she lifted her feet to rest on the arm, before answering. "Straight to the point, dad. No, greeting for your daughter?"

"Hello, Bella." He amended. "Where are you?" She laughed again, but brushed off Charlie's bad social skills.

"I'm here, actually…"

"In Forks?"

"Forks." She agreed and pulled a well-placed blanket off the back of the chaise, covering her suddenly cold feet, a rumble of hunger filled her stomach.

Charlie was quiet for a moment. "Where are you staying, kiddo? You know Sue and I have a spare bedroom if you need a place to bunk."

She let out a suffering sigh, "No it's fine, don't worry, I actually bought a place."

"I'm sorry? What?"

Bella stiffened, her eyes shifty at Charlie's affronted tone. "Yeah, I, uh, have a house here…in Forks."

"You bought a house?" Charlie repeated.

"Yes, didn't I just say that?"

Charlie was quiet, and as seconds passed, Bella felt like a petulant child. "I had no idea." He finally said, his voice too soft. "You should have told me you planned to stay, Bells, I'd have helped you find a place. Cops have connections."

She dived in head first. "Dad, I actually had a house built."

Dead silence followed her response, and Bella could hear Sue's gentle voice in the background, the kind woman bleeding out calming words. Her father, apparently, was not taking the news well. "Explain this to me again, Bells." Charlie finally said. "You are, not only living in Forks, but had a house built too?" His voice was demanding, and Bella instantly fidgeted in attempt to ignore the chastising feeling that came over her.

"Uh, yes?"

"Any other surprises you want to send my way? This is unexpected, kiddo, not that it's bad, just surprising. I had grown used to you living in the south, kind of a shock."

Bella let out a flinching laugh and her free hand came up to cover her heated face. "Arizona isn't really 'the south', dad, and I'm sorry, but with the wedding… I wasn't sure how to bring it up. So, surprise, I'm living in Forks!"

"Yes, Isabella, very surprised."

"I'm sorry, dad, really. It wasn't my intention to withhold information." She continued, cringing at her full name.

Charlie huffed out a laugh, before sighing, "So, kiddo, where's this house of yours located?"

She froze, unsure how to proceed, but decided continuing head first into the unknown was better than lying to Charlie. "I'm about a mile away from you actually; turn right on that side road—about a block back from the house—and you'll find my new place. It's not hard to miss, kind of big, really."

A coughing fit seemed to be her answer, along with another bout of muffled voices, before Charlie finally answered. His voice sounded like he was struggling to breathe, "That-that _mansion_ is your new place?" He was breathing heavily, deep breaths that had Bella thinking he had just finished running. "Jesus, Bella, that place is _huge._ "

"I know?"

"You _paid_ to have that house built?"

"Yes?"

He sighed, "There's obviously more information to this house business, something you're not sharing, but I'll let that slide. For now." His voice was muffled as he said spoke to someone else in the background, a male this time. "We're having a bonfire at First Beach tonight. Seeing as you just arrived, I'm sure you have some spare time to stop by." He finally growled, gruff and slightly irritated tones covering his voice. She pictured the frown marring his forehead, the way his lips pursed together and his mustache would become more prominent.

Bella choked out a breath, and stilled. La Push, she hadn't been there since the day Jacob had ended any blooming feelings she had for him, and destroyed what he himself had helped to build. She knew that it'd probably be a shock for them to see her again, hell, she'd _shrunk_ , and the weird nature thing wouldn't help either. Yeah, that definitely wasn't going to be a good conversation starter.

"Yeah, I'll think about it. I actually have some business I need to handle tonight, and I'm not sure how long it will take." That was a thick excuse.

Charlie chuckled, "I must be a terrible father if I didn't know you were working." He stopped suddenly and Bella heard him talking to someone else, but she couldn't make out the words. The other voice was male, but that's all she knew. Finally, he said: "Sorry about that, kiddo, the pack—, I mean, Seth and his friends were just being nosy. Now tell me, what type of job pays you enough to build a mansion, but keeps you from visiting your old man?"

She could picture—if she told the truth—how he would react. Crazed, he'd probably give her ass a spanking before grounding her indefinitely, it wouldn't even matter that she was over the age of twenty and no longer his miscreant kid. 'Well, I wouldn't call it a job, more like a hobby. Ever heard of drag racing? Right well, I race cars for thousands of dollars…illegally. Sorry for not telling you, I just didn't know how. On a lighter note, I'm rubbing elbows with the one-percenters!' Yeah, no, that explanation would not go over well. "I'm in the car business." She finally mumbled.

Shifting, Bella sprawled out further on the chaise, tucking the blanket under her chin. She really was grateful she'd taken Eric's advice on the interior designer, because the piece of furniture she laid on was insanely comfortable. Money held all the best options, furniture included.

"The car business?" Charlie was asking when she returned from her inner musings. "Bells, you hate cars. Never mind the fact that your clumsiness is damn near death inducing."

"Thanks, dad." She bit out.

"Now, kiddo, that's not what I meant, I'm just surprised is all. What do you do?"

Pausing, she worded her answer carefully. "I'm a test driver."

She nodded to herself, supremely proud of the answer, then heard another voice muffling in the background followed by Charlie's answering sigh. "I have to go, Bella, but it'd make me very happy if you came by La Push tonight. You haven't met Sue or her family in person yet, and there's a few other people that I'd like to introduce you to."

"Will Jacob Black be there?" She growled out, anger consuming her all of a sudden. A rustling sound came from the window and she lifted up to see what it was, only to squeak in startled fear. Vines were working over the window, covering nearly half of the frame, and they flickered in colors of red and orange, almost giving the illusion that they were on fire.

Charlie must not have heard her sound of fright, because he let out an annoyed sound. "Yes, Isabella. First Beach is located on reservation lands, plus Jacob's father, Billy—remember him?—is my best man."

She took deep breaths, her eyes never leaving the plants growing around the window, and tried to calm herself. Everything is fine, it's fine. I'm going insane, but it's _fine._ As she let go of her anger and sudden fear, the vines slid down the window, their colors returning to vivid greens before they slipped out of sight.

"Whatever you say, Charlie." She murmured, eyes closing tightly in anxiety of the situation. This was all happening so fast. "What time does it start?"

She heard muffled voices from his side of the phone again, before he said "I'll be there around six for pre-game, but most will probably arrive around seven."

"Sounds good," Bella said, "See you then." Pulling the phone away from her ear, she touched the red button on the screen, cutting off Charlie's reply, and tossed the device onto the carpeted floor.

Jesus, this was almost too much. Her nonexistent war plan was burning in hell, and the freak of nature stuff wasn't helping.

* * *

 **B** ella wouldn't consider herself to be a 'ball buster', hell, she could hardly hold her own in a verbal spat. So open confrontations weren't really her thing, not that the fact surprised her. She'd always been relatively timid; even the two-plus years racing cars hadn't hardened her backbone. So the nervousness that was constantly overcoming Bella since her return to Forks only helped to shine a light on her flaws.

She was a lone ranger, and going into enemy territory was not a strategic option for her inner war. There were pros to attending the bonfire, of course. Some of them included seeing her father-, actually, that was the _only_ good thing. The list of cons, however, was terribly large. Number one, the ever pain causing Jacob Black. Number two, well—in all honesty—she couldn't seem to get past her ex best friend. So, trying to form a list now felt pointless. The inner war thing was shit without defenses, but then again, she wasn't really an armed-woman type.

Bella supposed, that going in guns blazing, looking fresh, sexy, and 'fuck you, I'm rich,' could work. That was probably her best option. The other one wasn't looking too powerful, and her allies needed to be fully armed in this invisible war she was planning. Allies, yeah, she wasn't packing any heat on that front. She weighed the options… it could be Eric and Mav, but they were back in Phoenix; so that was a needle in the haystack. Her father didn't count, since he was sleeping with the enemy (pun intended). She could beg off, say 'Oh, sorry Charlie. I was so tired from the drive that I passed out. Besides, your invitation was really sudden, what were you expecting?' Yeah, that was a cheap shot if she ever knew one. Not a 'shots fired', but definitely a cop out move.

So she sucked up the nerves, ate a bag of chocolate covered pretzels (thank you, Eric), picked out some clothes for the evening, and headed to the bathroom for a shower. Bella couldn't help but gape, again, at the sight. Glittering ash marble tiled the floor and most of the walls, a sunken tub took up most of the room, and a shower with crystal clear glass was pushed up against the other wall. Hazy white lights gave the room a soft glow, and a wide mirror sat above a dual basin sink; silver fixtures finished the room.

Pushing on, Bella stripped out of her clothes and turned on the shower faucet, testing the water she ducked underneath and closed the stall door behind her. Grabbing the soap she had put inside earlier Bella lathered up with what she'd brought from Arizona—a black orchid and vanilla body wash, a similar smelling shampoo, and unscented lotion. The soap products were strong enough, and she was worried about overkill if she went for the scented lotion, too.

Stepping out, Bella grabbed one of the luxurious towels the interior designer had selected for the room, and headed back to the bedroom to get dressed. Once dry, she put on white cotton underwear, before dressing in a pair of comfortable denim jeans, an oversized champagne sweater, cream camisole, and camel colored ankle boots. She ran her fingers through her hair, tugging at the knots, and brushed it in swift motions.

Picking up her cosmetic bag, she sat down in the chair of her large boudoir, but the reflection of herself in the mirror had Bella stumbling. She looked unbelievably beautiful—ethereal. Reaching her arm out, Bella touched the mirror over the features that revealed themselves, becoming confused. She had looked completely normal this morning. Even mid-day powder check, she had been the same. But now, with her dewy and luminescent skin, gold tinted whiskey eyes, and adorably pointed ears—

What? What? Appalled, she shot out of the chair, falling over the furniture in her haste to move away, and hesitantly touched her ears. _Oh God!_ They _were_ pointed, and _sensitive_. Hesitant contact sent an awkward wave of heat through her body, and she blushed in embarrassment. Befuddled, she stood there, fingers rubbing over the sharpened edges of her ears, contemplating the ramifications of this new development. Two hours ago there had been nothing, not a single difference. She knew this, because she'd tucked her hair behind her ears repeatedly—a bad habit.

Now she was freaked, the bizarre change was happening too fast. Was she infected? Some kind of alien disease? A changeling? Horrified, her mind filled with questions. How could she face her father? The rest of the world?

Perhaps she could tuck some hair—pull the offending mass into a bun…? The ears could be hidden, and she highly doubted her father and his guests would notice in the dark, bonfire aside. With that thought, the need to call Eric filled her. He would be able to help, team up to figure out what the _fuck_ was going on, because this situation was no longer normal.

Lost to her inner worries; she hadn't heard her window open, let alone the odd _whish_ noise of something sliding against the floor. So when the invasive, unfamiliar touch came, she screamed in fright.

"Don't touch me!" She cried, her heart beat wildly, and slapped at the person holding her. Stilling in realization, she looked down to find that it was a vine of ivy, not a stranger, working its way up her arms, around her navel, and over her ass. This was…This was—she couldn't even _comprehend_ the new situation, let alone defend herself against nature.

Shock overtook her, but suddenly her ears were rubbed. Whimpering, her body stilled, harsh breaths pushed her chest up and down as the molesting plant worked her body. Splitting into four separate vines, they slithered towards her ankles and wrists, before wrapping around them tight, but gentle.

She let out a distressed sound when she was lifted from the floor. By force, her body was laid out midair, something soft and leaf like supporting her back, and she felt the cool touch of the plants grow more deliberate, sexual.

"No. No. Please, _please_." She whispered, almost afraid to speak as they tightened their grips, touching places that no _human_ had been privy to.

Her ears were touched again, the tips and high edges gently rubbed, and she let out a low moan of enjoyment…before her conscience interfered. Oh no, this was wrong on so many levels, but the groping plant didn't seem to notice inner worries. Pushing on, the backs of her knees were brushed sensually, thighs pushed apart in wanton fashion, and her breasts were squeezed in harsh, erotic agony.

Bella let out a begging whimper, horrified at her reaction, before tossing her head back in abandonment as something rubbed against her covered sex. She was spread eagle, and her body was far too accessible to the vines. Pressure was applied to her clit, a furious twirl of leaves slid against her, moving up and down over the blossoming desire in her body.

So weird, this was all so weird. Plants, she was being given pleasure by foliage. How was this not lighting up on government radar? Was everyone nature's sex toy?

Falling back against whatever supported her, she lost herself. She moaned again as her legs were pushed farther apart, thick vines moving up her calves and under her ass. They squeezed lightly, and repositioned themselves to run against her sex, wanton sounds fell from her lips.

Gently, almost hesitantly, the creeping plant slid under her sweater, cool bodies caressing her heated flesh. Bella's nipples were pinched and rolled between plant fingers, before a seductive rhythm of pleasure was started against her breasts.

She pushed down, her body moving of its own violation, and let out a keening wail of want when the strokes finally moved inside her jeans, slipped under her panties, and rubbed against her soaking wet pussy.

Her clit was brushed, flicked, and pressed against in short bursts. The rational part of her left completely. She bit her lip, blushing in embarrassment, and began to rock against the new pleasure, pushing down when the vine pressed up.

She was filled with need, her pussy wet and slick, and she couldn't control the sounds she was making. Her breasts were tortured incessantly, her nipples becoming raw, and somehow her pants and sweater were removed from her body.

Dressed in only her panties and no longer unwilling, she fell into the desire. Her clit was pressed against continuously, her pussy lips spread apart, and something heavy and thick pressed against her core. "Please," She begged, nearly crying. "I want you inside, I need you inside. I can't—it's too much."

She felt vibrations from the vines, almost like laughter, and she cried out when cool tendrils slipped along her ass, teasing, something she'd never considered sexual.

She was so confused, and completely consumed. This—the unbridled ecstasy roaring through her—was brand new to Bella. Her only 'experiences' were the attempts at kissing Edward in high school, and that had failed.

Like a bucket of ice water, the thought of Edward Cullen had the haze of pleasure lifting, and she began to struggle against the restraining plants. Her attempts were weak at first, body intent on the building orgasm, but soon she became wild. No longer enjoying the pleasuring touches, Bella clamped her knees together in a futile attempt to protect herself. "Stop. I don't like this, stop!" She kicked her feet out and connected solidly with the vine.

An odd angry roar came from the outside, filtering in through her window, and the house shook wildly. The vines held her with greater force then, her legs were spread apart, and focus was returned to her pussy, but Edward Cullen's memory had cooled all desire.

"I said to stop. Don't touch me. Let. Me. Go!" The roar came again; this time the sound was one of saddened pain. Soft, almost trying not to startle her, the vines released their hold; perverse touches left her heated body, and she sagged in relief when finally lowered to the floor. She nearly sobbed when the plants left the room. Horrified she pulled back on her clothing—which had been neatly folded and placed off to the side.

Standing on shaky legs, she moved towards the window, and watched as the vines twisted back into one. The thick plant rolled against the ground, body colored by night's darkness, and disappeared into the forest surrounding.

She stood there, searching the dark woods, and tried to rationalize what had just happened. Her sex throbbed, an aching heartbeat, and her panties were beyond soaked. Everything was so confusing, the situation was far past 'fine.' Why didn't she feel violated?

Shaking her head, her hair fell into her face, and when she roughly pushed it away, she whimpered a moan as her ears were bumped. A shiver worked its way through her body, and her sex ached even more.

No. No. No. This wasn't right. She tried to chastise herself, but everything inside her felt needy and wanting. She couldn't draw up the ability to care that the touches were from a plant, a non-compatible body. Something whispered that this was nothing to fear, the touches were normal, and they would continue until she had been taken completely, caressed to the point that Bella never forgot where she belonged.

As the minutes passed, Bella shook her head and stepped away from the outside. She couldn't stop the confusion. Something was happening, but for now Bella couldn't do anything about. Slamming down the window down, she locked it, and then proceeded to check and lock the other three in her bedroom.

Sighing out another anxiety filled breath, she tugged at the strands of her hair, and glanced towards the dark window once more. Everything was fine, it was completely normal. How could sexual gratification be wrong when it felt right? She was such a freak, _nothing_ would ever be normal again.

Righting herself, she headed towards the bathroom, trying to ignore the excessiveness of it all. Standing in front of the sink, she gripped the edges, fingers curling against the marble, and stared at herself in the mirror. She was so _glowy_ , not sparkly vampire type, but the highlight she was rocking looked unnatural. Turning on the faucet, Bella splashed her face with cool water, once, twice, and then took a deep calming breath. She repeated the steps and finally she was feeling better, still freaked, but less emotional breakdown-ish.

Turning off the lights, she stepped out and picked up her phone from the bed, double tapping the screen—six forty-five. She was late. The nerves came back, the horrible fear returned, and she took another deep breath. She grabbed a hair tie from her cosmetic bag, and roughly pulled her hair into a bun. Wisps of fine strands fell around her face, but her ears were hidden by the messiness of the bun. It would be fine, everything would be fine.

She tried to talk herself out of going, rationalize how not normal it was to greet your father after nearly having sex with a houseplant. 'Hey dad, sorry I'm running late; I was busy getting molested by a bunch of shrubbery. They nearly took my virginity, but that didn't happen. How's your night?' _Fuck_ , so not normal.

Sighing, she grabbed her small purse, tossed in her phone, turned off the lights and headed out of the room, down three sets of stairs and towards the keypad locked door that led to her garage. She punched the code in short, nervous bursts, and then relaxed when her babies came into view when she flipped on the light switch. The large garage was lined in three rows of vehicles. There were coupes, sporty roadsters, ostentatious muscle cars, and far too large pickup trucks, but they brought her a much needed dose of calm.

Turning to another keypad, she punched in the code, and then pulled out a set of keys. She hadn't driven this vehicle in a long time, and the price of it usually led to a panic attack when she started the engine. Shrugging her shoulders, she headed towards the 1970 Plymouth Barracuda, and ran her hands along the body. Night black with two white racing stripes, the hemi-cuda was a beauty. A seven point-two-liter engine, 425 horsepower, and the demon car could go from zero to sixty in five seconds.

She'd paid a hefty price for the vehicle, something that had _not_ put her back financially, but writing the six zeroes behind that two still blew her mind. Damn, but the beast was sex on four wheels.

She unlocked the door, and slid into a plush leather seat, the smell of pure masculine muscle lit her nose and she slammed the door shut behind her. Curling her fingers around the steering wheel she fit the key into its lock, flipped it forward, and the engine roared to life. Shivers of adrenaline worked their way over her flesh, and she let out an excited laugh.

Connecting her phone to the Bluetooth that ran through the Barracuda, all thanks to the new radio and sound system, she selected her 'Wild Ride' playlist. Heavy beats and badass vocals flowed from the speakers.

Bella put on her seatbelt, and shifted gears into reverse, the allowing revs of the lowering engine followed the action. She turned her head to look out the rear window, arm stretching across the back of the passenger seat, and pressed on the accelerator, before slamming on the break. A startled squeak came from her as the car jolted back too quickly.

Bella had forgotten how much power the hemi-cuda held, and she'd shot back like a light. Taking a deep breath, worried about the 1969 Dodge Charger that was parked just behind her, she lightly pressed on the accelerator.

She sighed in relief at the slow pulse of power and reversed out of the parking space, straightening back fully, she shifted out of reverse and into drive. The engine hummed in deep purring noises, and she pushed down on the accelerator again. The tires squealed, a curtain of smoke poured up behind her, and she let out another happy laugh. Speed, fast cars - _this_ was normal. The feel of the engine, the pulse of adrenalin running through Bella, brought calm to her turbulent mind. Everything faded away.

She clicked a button on the remote attached to her visor, and the garage door opened. Revving the engine once more, Bella pressed hard on the accelerator, whipping the car around the back corner of the garage until she had the front of the Barracuda facing the now open garage door and the ramp that led to the outside.

She didn't pause, her left foot pressed down on the clutch, her right hand flicked up the gear stick, and she floored it. The car shot forward, tires shredding rubber and leaving tread marks in their place. A heavy drumming from the engine filled the area as Bella sped ahead and then she was shooting out of the garage, the hemi-cuda whipping wildly on the driveway.

She rolled down the window, hand cranking the knob, gusts of night air whipped her hair out of its bun, and she turned up the volume on Marilyn Manson's 'Deep Six.' Thick bass and heavy guitar followed in her wake as she flew out of the driveway, hardly paying attention to the forest as it slithered nearer, reaching its arms out towards her.

She shifted gears, lowering speed as the turn off arrived and she wrenched the steering wheel to the right, tires squealing in protest at the sudden turn. She laughed again, before picking up speed and heading out of Forks towards La Push.

* * *

 **T** he change in road types when she finally hit La Push, sent the hemi-cuda whipping wildly. Gravel raked against the tires and she had to push the car into submission, controlling the vehicle's intense shifts and slides. The Pretty Reckless' 'Going to Hell' shredded the speakers, and her subwoofer thumped against the heavy bass. She gripped the steering wheel tighter, and down shifted to accommodate a too tight left turn. The back end flayed outwards, her car pulling sideways, before Bella gained control once more. Leveling the hemi-cuda out, she stayed her speed when the sign for First Beach was visible in her headlights.

She sucked in a breath at the sight, sent back to her high school days, before shaking out of the thoughts. She turned the steering wheel sharply again, tires squealing once more, before circling into the parking lot. Roaring along the spaces, she found one well away from the seven cars already in the lot and tempered her speed down further to reverse back into the space.

Her voice sang out with the loud music, endorphins running, _"please forgive me father, I didn't mean to bother you; the devil is in me father, he's inside of everything thing I do!"_ Bella faded out as she shut off the engine and turned down the volume, the quiet of La Push breaking in. She left everything but her phone, and opened the door, a salty wind raked over her body and—as expected—vines of the earth slid up her jean clad legs.

"Stop that!" She hissed out, kicking at the offending touch, even as it sent a wave of roaring heat through her. When the ground around shook in irritated reply, she huffed out a breath. "Seriously? You're really going to act like that? You _touched_ me." The wind picked up, and the trees around seemed to groan in angry protest before everything stopped, a complete still coming over the area.

Bella huffed out, "That's what I thought," before pulling the hair tie out of her trashed bun. The locks of mahogany fell down her back and she lightly ran her fingers through in a detangling motion, careful to avoid her ears.

Pulling her hair into a ponytail, she gently covered her pointed ears, not completely sure that she was in the clear, and flounced towards the beach. Even as nerves took over, she was unbearably excited to see her father and meet his fiancée, Sue Clearwater.

Another gust of wind came through, and in the distance Bella could make out a set of maybe fifteen people standing around a bonfire, and a setting sun filtered the sky behind. She bounced down the walkway, her feet barely dipping into the sand, and made her way over. When she saw Charlie, she couldn't hold back a shout of excitement.

"Dad!"

He was already making his way towards her, large strides breaking the distance, and then Bella was in his arms, pressed tightly against his chest. She smiled in happiness, before pulling back to stare up at him.

She was short, far too much of a height difference was between them since she saw Charlie last, and she knew the instant he realized that as well. "Kiddo?" He asked, a large hand brushing wild hair from her heart shaped face—blessedly missing her ears, and frowned in confusion. "I—Bella? You've shrunk!" Charlie stepped back, holding her at arm's length as he looked her over.

"Hi, Dad. I'm so happy to see you."

"Yes, yes, have your sarcasm." He took a deep breath, looking mildly angry he said, "Isabella Swan, why are you so damn small, and why the _hell_ are you driving that _Goddamned_ car?"

Bella laughed, a happy sound that had the ground rumbling in pleasure and the woods surrounding them; growing in size. "I told you, Charlie, I'm in the car business." That was a non-lie she could stick with, but if asked too many questions she wasn't sure if she'd last, and with the frown he sent Bella's way, she wasn't too far off.

She stepped back, blushing slightly as he continued to stare at her, and bit her bottom lip in nervousness.

He frowned again, before crossing his arms in an intimidating stance. "…and your size? Isabella Marie Swan, you were damn near six-foot when I saw you last time. Want to explain that to me?"

She frowned, an adorable look that had always worked on Charlie. "Not really." She shrugged, and stepped around him, turning towards the curious eyes of the others. "Are you going to introduce me? Or do I have to embarrass myself?"

He let out a bark of laughter before slapping her on the back, the force of it nearly sent her sprawling, which had Charlie laughing more as he steadied her. "Everything embarrasses you, kiddo." He held tightly to her shoulder, a cloud of irritation covered him. "We _will_ be discussing this, young lady. You may think the topic is avoidable if you pout, but I assure you, it is not."

"Fine." She huffed.

He took the lead, his steps leaving her behind as she tried to keep up. She was far more comfortable talking with her vehicle than she was in person. The road always gave the right answers, and she never lost in a fight. Which is where she felt this night would end, but grinning anyway, she pressed on.

"Bella," Charlie said as he pulled her against his side. On accident, his arm brushed against her ear and she let out a silent whimper…At least, she'd thought it was quiet, yet the sudden turning of male—and lone female—heads towards her sent a raging blush across Bella's cheeks. "This is Sue Clearwater, my fiancée."

A small, beautifully curved woman stepped forward, and Bella grinned. "Hello, I'm so happy to finally meet you. Dad's told me so much about you—I bet you hear that a lot—Charlie's such a sharer."

Sue laughed, a bell like sound that had Bella grinning, before the woman pulled her into a hug. She too, held Bella out at arm's length to look her over, a frown covering her beautiful features. "You are much smaller than the pictures I've seen of you…?

"I know, it fucking—I mean, it _really_ sucks." She bit her lip, and muffled laughter followed her response.

Sue grabbed her gently by the arm, tugging Bella forward "Come on, let us introduce you to the rest of the group. Be warned, they're big, but gentle." Laughs were shared at that comment, and it felt like there was an inside joke Bella wasn't privy to.

"Well, considering my stature, I'm sure everyone is big compared to me." She shrugged. "It's not unusual though, Mav is like, massive. So is his family, definitely sucks."

Sue quirked her head to the side in curiosity when they were finally surrounded. She headed over to a cooler and lifted the lid, pulled out two water bottles and tossed one at Bella. "Mav?" She asked, her warm brown eyes held curiosity in the light from the fire.

Bella lifted the cap and took a hefty drink of water. "Oh! Yeah, he's like, my best friend. He's actually the one who introduced me to ra—um, my job."

Sue dropped an arm around her shoulders, bending closer to Bella. "Right. Your job. Charlie mentioned something about it after your phone call. Everyone is very interested in what you do."

Bella flushed, biting her lip she looked away. "Yeah, like I said, I'm in the car business."

"What company do you work for?"

"I freelance?" She didn't mean to phrase it as a question, but she was so nervous and the flush she rocked was not on point. She guzzled the rest of her water, embarrassed at how thirsty she was, and tossed it in the basket they were using for trash.

Another tilt of the head, "You seem unsure."

"No, I mean, it's complicated. There's a lot of different elements to what I do."

Sue nodded, "Sure. Just...when you want to talk about your _real_ job, I'm more than willing to listen."

Bella's inner monologue surfaced again, and she very much doubted Sue would be interested once she knew what Bella really did with a car. 'Hi Sue, just stopping by. You had mentioned something about being interested in my job. Yeah, so I race cars—what? Is it legal? Well, it's not entirely _illegal_ , besides the insane amount of money I make helps to balance everything out. I actually bought you a massive wedding present with said money.' Fuck that, she was so not going there. "Like I said, I'm in the car business—a test driver. Not much to it besides seeing how fast a car can go under certain…conditions."

That was a bomb ass lie, if she were honest. Who knew she had this hidden skill. Lying to her father and future stepmother. She was damn fine.

"Whatever you say, short stuff."

"Excuse me?"

Sue smiled, a breathtaking grin that had Bella gaping. "No? Not a fan of that nickname? Hmm, I'll have to think of something else. Nymph? Pixie, maybe?"

Bella laughed, and the earth shook at the delighted sound. She winced at that, glancing down in nervousness, and noticed the newly sprouted grass below her feat. "I'm so happy Charlie has you." She made steady eye contact with her future stepmother, and tried to look anywhere except the ground under her feet.

"I'm glad you think so. He's been worried about how you'd react."

"You two should be focused on your own happiness. My feelings shouldn't be relevant. Besides, I already think you're fantastic, so there's no need to be concerned."

Sue laughed then, squeezing Bella's shoulders before pulling her forward again. "So, besides the job mystery, you're a completely normal woman. Which is good, because I know some completely _normal_ men." More laughter came from the group, and once again Bella felt as if she was missing something. Inside jokes were not cool if you weren't 'in' on them.

"Um, okay?"

Charlie was on Bella's other side then, and his arm worked its way around her shoulder too. "So Bells, let's introduce you to the pack!" He laughed at that, before shaking his head.

Bella looked at him in confusion, before smiling. This was becoming very awkward, and the constant attention on her had Bella sporting a continuous blush. Glancing around she realized that most of the group—the men—were shirtless, and dressed only in a pair of cutoffs, their feet bare. "Not to be rude, but aren't you guys like, cold or something?"

A man off to the right answered, "Nope. We run at a hot one hundred and eight degrees." He was very tall—everyone was tall in comparison—with cropped hair and high cheekbones. His body was all muscle and he had the poutiest lips ever. They were luscious.

Bella laughed. "That's cool, I'm cold all the time. So I'm jealous."

There was another inside joke and Bella gritted her teeth. Honestly, how much more of this could she take? The ground rumbled in danger at her frustrated move and she froze. No one seemed to have felt anything different, yet she couldn't help but feel as if they were hiding something themselves.

Someone asked if she was hungry, and after nodding in assignation, a freshly cooked cheeseburger was handed to her on a plate. The mouthwatering smell had her so hungry that she didn't even ask for ketchup, just took a massive bite. She consumed the burger like a starved woman, tossed the plate in the trash and thanked whoever made it.

Still stuck on the hidden secrets of those around her, she fell to her inner thoughts, before dismissing the feeling. Hell, she'd lived through vampires! What could they be hiding? It's not like they were werewolves or something.

Charlie cut off more conversation by beginning introductions. With each name, he pointed to a different body. "So, kiddo. We have Sam, Jared, Quil, Embry, Seth, Collin, Brady, Leah, and you remember Jake. There's one more person coming, but he's on patrol."

"Patrol?" She questioned.

"Yes, he's a cop around here."

Bella nodded, she connected gazes with Jacob and then looked away. Jacob looked…larger, that was for sure. He was nearly twice the size he had been when she saw Jacob last. But it wasn't just that, he looked wrecked, angry. The severe frown and sneer on his face seemed like it was a regular occurrence.

Turning away from her inner thoughts, Bella smiled and said: "Hello, it's nice to meet you all. Dad mentioned some of you to me, but I'm sorry if I forget your names in a few seconds. I'm horrible with the memory stuff. Just last week I had a car trade—that's a little hard to explain. Anyway the partners introduced themselves nearly five times! I was like, 'who are you again?' She laughed, shaking her head at the thought. "Mav was so irritated."

Charlie's gaze was curious, and the light from the fire seemed to make his face all the more knowing. Bella bit her lip and blushed again. She was such a mess. "Mav," Charlie hummed. "You mentioned him being your 'best friend', how'd you meet?"

"Oh! Well, his boyfriend—Eric, is the son of Phil's childhood friend. We completely clicked, he's basically my brother. Then he met Maverick and everything sort of fell into place. Mav opened the doors to my job, and his sister taught me everything I know."

"You seem to be doing well, Bella." Someone else cut in. She glanced around at the voice, but realized it was Jacob who had spoken. "I'm a little surprised."

"Black." Bella nodded, her voice curt. "A lot can change in three years, so you shouldn't be that surprised."

He laughed and the sound was brittle. "Sure, because everyone can buy a four million dollar home and two million dollar car in three years."

"Barracuda!" Someone else called, and she looked to see the guy Collin—or was it Brady?—looking at the parking lot with a wistful expression. "Damn, Bella, you sure have an amazing job."

Bella took a step back; their gazes were too intrusive. "Look, Eric's really good at investing, I don't want to go into detail too much, but I've amassed a large amount of money-," She cut off when the sound of her phone ringing interrupted the conversation. "I'm sorry, it's probably Eric. I didn't answer his texts and he worries easily." Sure enough, his name, with a picture of them from last Halloween, flashed across the screen. "I'll just be a few moments."

Answering the phone, she moved away from the group a little, but they seemed intent on listening in. "Eric," She sighed. "I'm alive, obviously." The phone against her sensitive ear sent tingles through her body.

"Look, B, you might be off grid in Forks, but not calling is uncool." His tone was complaining, but she could sense a smile.

"How can I ever apologize?"

He was quiet for a moment. "Shopping, I'm thinking Gucci."

"You're so basic." She laughed, and those around her—the guys mostly, laughed as well.

"…and you're a puritan, but I accept that." He laughed. "Bethany's been asking about you."

She sighed, "I don't know, Eric. She's so persistent. It's making me uncomfortable."

"Bella, you _can_ say no to Bethany. She'll probably play the silent treatment game with you, but she'll come around. Besides, you know she just wants that virginity of yours." There were startled coughs behind her, and Bella flushed in embarrassment. Again. Then, suddenly confused that they'd heard Eric's response, she stepped further away. Glancing down, she noticed that a ring of flowers had grown below her feet, their colors and textures completely wrong in the dark sand of the beach.

"It's just—it's really weird Eric. When I met her after the race—the one where I won that Audi—her eyes were crazy. Like, silver."

Eric laughed. "Were you drunk?"

"No! You know I hate alcohol, tastes gross."

"I'm sure it was just the lights, B—hold on, Mav wants to talk to you."

She flinched. "No Eric don't give him the phone-,"

"Isabella." Mav's voice was curt when he spoke and she flinched. "My brothers have been worried."

"Mav…"

"They wanted to fly out."

"You're overreacting, it's been like, a day, since I spoke to you last. Your family's behavior is completely irrational."

Mav sighed, and she could picture the frown on his face. "Actually, that's not why I wanted to speak with you. I have a mega run you might be interested in."

She paused, and looked back towards her father and the group. They were talking in low voices, but every once in a while they would glance her way. She sighed. "My dad's wedding is in nearly four weeks; I don't think I can get away."

"Three million."

"What?"

"That's the prize, that and a Tesla."

"Tesla? You're kidding! That thing isn't even on market, how did someone get their hands on one? And that money! That's like an insane amount!"

"Oh Bella, still so naïve. It's in Tokyo, three laps, no drolics."

"I hate nitro, you should know this. Listen, Mav, the money is great and all, but I really need to focus on my family right now. I—some things are happening to me and I'm worried."

He was quiet, but she could hear his brothers in the background. "What's wrong, Bella?"

"I—it's hard to describe. You probably wouldn't believe me."

"I think I would. Bella. I can help you, Bella, just give me some of your time—, the height, nature. I can tell you everything—"

She cut him off. "Look, I'm sorry about the race, but I have to go. It's rude that I'm on the phone."

"We _will_ talk about this, Isabella."

"Ugh!" She hung up, lightly tapping the red phone, before shutting off her device. She gritted her teeth. Overbearing, everyone seemed to think she was helpless.

She stomped back to the group, and took calming breaths. "Sorry about that, I didn't mean to take so long."

Charlie looked at her, a fierce frown on his face, and grasped her arm in a tight grip. "What's going on, Bella? You can talk to me; you know that right? We haven't been close these last years, but I'm here for you."

She looked at him, tilted her head in mock confusion, and bit her lip. "I don't know what you're talking about, dad. Everything's fine."

He stared at her for a moment, before shaking his head. "So, your Eric is in the stock business?" Complete topic change. Bella's head nearly whipped around.

"I—yes, you could say that. I don't really want to talk about myself though." She looked over towards the woods and saw how they shifted in the opposite direction of the breeze. Her eyes widened as she watched them move closer, the trees reaching out their branches, shrubbery slithering across the ground. So not normal.

She looked away. "So, Sue," She addressed the woman, turning away from the woods. "You have two children right? Seth and Leah?" She looked to the only other woman and smiled before blushing at her intense gaze. "I'm hoping we'll get along well."

"Not likely." Leah snarled.

"I'm sorry?"

The tallest of the group stepped up. "That's enough, Leah."

"Sam—,"

"No. That was completely unacceptable. Apologize." A heavy wave of power coated the group; Sam's tone was intent, demanding.

Leah growled, a frightening sound that had Bella stepping back. The earth shook violently and caused them to stumble, but strong stems of grass suddenly gripped Bella's ankles, keeping her standing. She shivered at the feeling of their touch and glanced around to see if anyone had noticed.

"What the hell is going on? That's the fifth time tonight." Jacob spoke, his voice hoarse. His body was shaking and his hands were clenched tight.

Charlie was helping Sue to stand up from where she'd fallen on the ground. "Are you alright?" He asked his fiancée, face etched in worry. Sue kissed him, and nodded that she wasn't harmed.

Bella flinched at the thought of harming Sue or Charlie and cleared her throat. "Um, sorry about that." Shit, she covered her mouth with her hands and glanced around. Their bodies had frozen and they were looking at her like a specimen. "I mean, sorry if I yelped or something. I didn't mean to break any eardrums."

Jacob stepped towards her, his gaze intense. "Is that what you're sorry for?"

"Yes?"

"Hmm, well, you didn't make any noise, let alone fall. So I don't think there's much to apologize-,"

"Hey fuckers! Whose bitch ass Plymouth is that?" A voice came from behind them, and as one they turned to look at the—holy shit he was _huge_!

Even from a distance the guy looked well over seven foot, with an outrageously large and muscular frame. He wore a pair of tight khakis that were stretched across his groin and thighs; His shirt was ironed with sharp edges, and the pure masculine aura he carried had Bella salivating.

Her body was on fire as she took him in, her eyes glazing over slightly. His face, dear god, could anyone be that handsome? Dark eyes—the color hidden by night's shadow—and thick brows sat over a strong nose and firm lips. Dimples outlined his mouth and the small cleft in his chin was a distraction in itself. She didn't know how long she was staring, but she blushed in embarrassment at how turned on she'd become.

A furious wind whipped around her, and his scent was pulled towards her, almost deliberately. It was erotic, like cloves and mint, and she moaned. Bella took a step towards him before freezing. "Hi." What the fuck? Was that her voice?

He looked at Bella then, his gaze connecting with hers, and she was lost. His eyes, they were so dark and the brown just shy of being black, widened in surprise. Had Bella been delusional when she thought she couldn't make out the color?

She whimpered, and stepped towards him again. "Hi, I'm Bella." What was wrong with her?

Dear lord, she wanted to touch him. Run her fingers over his muscled arms and chest. Lick all over—she shook her head. The wind picked up, roaring across the beach, flowers and thick shoots of grass and shrubbery bloomed underneath her feet, and the ground beneath rumbled slightly.

He was frozen and his eyes looked a little startled, before he grinned. Oh, no. No. No. She was lost. What was happening?

"Hello there, Beautiful." His voice…She was enraptured, liquid silk and honey, she didn't want him to stop talking

She whined, an outrageously wanton noise and stepped towards him even more. He wasn't just huge, he was a giant. Nearly twice her size and that was from a distance.

He took a step towards her and then another. His lips curled back in a sneer and a snarl ripped from his throat, but she wasn't afraid.

"Paul!" Someone shouted, but Bella couldn't focus. She was so wet, her nipples were hard and all she wanted was to rub her body all over him.

"Not now, Sam." Her man— _Paul_ —answered and she whined again. Her hands reaching for him, flowers and newly sprouted trees following.

"What the _fuck._ " It was Jacob who had spoken and he seemed appalled about something, but Bella could care less. All she wanted was Paul, she had to touch him.

"She's Charlie's." Sam informed him, as if the fact made a difference.

"Mine!" Paul roared, and his body trembled again, but his gaze didn't leave her face. She couldn't hold back any longer and she sprinted towards him. Trailing newly born nature behind her, Bella glued herself to his body. She rubbed herself erotically over him, pushing her breasts against his stomach, hands touching anywhere she could reach.

"Please." She begged him. What? What was she doing? This wasn't rational, this was _not_ normal. She couldn't focus though, his skin was so warm and she had become so _cold._ Bella begged even more when his large hands _finally_ touched her, gripping her hips, pulling her closer against his body.

"Fuck…" Paul growled out and bent towards her, his face was buried in the juncture between her shoulder and neck. His hips made a humping motion against her stomach and she could feel his growing arousal. In his haste, he rubbed against her ears. Bella let out a startled cry, her pussy flooding with wetness, but instead of continuing, he reared back and his body moved away.

"No, don't stop touching me, please. I'm so—I don't—I can't." Bella latched onto him, her sharp nails digging into his covered skin. She wanted him to touch her ears again, to touch her body in heated motions. She needed Paul, naked, spread out so she could lick and suck all over him. She didn't wait for his agreement, her hands just began to tug and pull at his clothing.

"Bella!" Charlie cried and she felt his hands grapple for her. "What are you doing, kiddo?"

"Mine!" She hissed and wrapped herself around Paul's front and she could barely reach her arms to his back. "Mine. He's mine." Her eyes were wild, the whiskey color shot through with sparkling gold and a vivid green. She snarled, and a nettle shot out of the ground and twitched wildly in front of Charlie, before it pushed him backwards and sent him sprawling on the sandy ground. "Don't touch. Mine!" She hissed again, and resumed removing Paul's clothing.

Paul wasn't stopping her though, if anything he was helping. He aided her inexperienced fingers as she struggled with the buttons of his shirt, and when it was open, he ran his hands under her sweater before tugging it up. "Mine." He growled, a dark erotic sound in the disturbed night and pulled off her sweater. His hands brushed under her camisole, lifting that as well, until finally he was touching her bare skin. She felt crazed in her need for him, she desperately ached to have him touching her breasts, pussy, anything until he could be inside her fully.

There were shouts from behind them, and she could hear Sue crying.

Her hands slid up and down his chest, and she dug her nails into Paul when she pulled him tighter to her. Bella took in his scent and then moved Paul's hands further up her body until they cupped her breasts, bathing in the mind blowing smell. "I don't—I don't understand. Please—just touch me—I need to feel you."

"Don't beg. You _never_ need to fucking beg. I'll always fucking touch you." His language was foul, his voice like a tidal wave of heat. He leaned down against Bella's ear, tongue flicking against it, and she clung even tighter. "My mouth's going to taste you, my fingers will be coated in your juices, and my cock will fuck your pussy until you beg me to stop." He horsed out. "Even then, I won't stop fucking you." Bella moaned in agreement.

Sue's sobs seemed to grow even louder, and Bella could vaguely hear Charlie consoling her.

"Paul!" The name was roared now, and suddenly Bella was yanked away, her body agonizingly separated from him.

She hissed, mindless. No, no. She needed him. "No!"

Charlie was in front of her, his eyes frightened, and his clothing dirtied from the fall. "Bella, honey. Calm down, take deep breaths."

"Paul!" She cried, trying to pull away from the arms that held her, but nothing worked. Big tears fell down her face and etched along her pale flesh.

She could hear snarls from all around, and horror filled her. Four wolves stood in front of Bella, their bodies unnaturally large. Menacing growls came from their mouths and they stalked towards her. Saliva dripped from their large teeth, which would snap at her every so often, and a shiver of fear worked itself over her.

"Paul." Bella sobbed, unable to get anything else past her need for him. She was so cold. Her body was shivering and a frost covered her skin.

Creepers slid across the ground, slipping under her feet until they latched onto the four wolves stalking Bella. The plants wrapped themselves around the animals' legs, tightened, and then hurled them in separate directions across the beach. They landed with loud thumps.

She snarled, her need for Paul overwhelming anything else. She heard an answering noise, and saw him locked between three other men; his eyes were crazed and his body shook violently. Paul's size was superior to those that held him, but still he was unable to break free.

"Mine!" She roared and with sudden ferocity she shoved Jacob away, sending him to the ground behind her, and gently pushed Charlie to the side—she didn't want him to fall again. "Don't touch what's mine." The forest had closed around them and it was angry. Chasms ripped across the beach, opening to dark pits below, and whips of violent nettles twisted in the air. She growled at the men holding Paul, and immediately their bodies were compressed by the angry vines, consumed before they were pulled below the earth.

Sue was screaming then, and horrible howls followed Bella's actions. The three wolves resurfaced in the depths of the water behind the group, but she was unconcerned.

Sam's voice cut through the air. "Get Sue and Charlie out of here! Damnit, secure the fucking beach!"

Immediately Bella was in Paul's arms and everything ceased. The ground closed, the trees folding back into their homes, and the wind settled. Whatever had grown during her war with the wolves returned to the ground below, appearing as if it had never arisen.

She pressed against his front again, purring in happiness as he lifted her higher on his body. She wrapped her legs around Paul's waist, her sex pressing against his hard arousal. She moaned at the contact, attaching her lips to any part of his flesh she could reach. Her mouth latched onto his throat, biting furiously at the skin, and she sucked on the flesh before soothing with her tongue. She moaned at his taste, salt, sin, and all man.

Bella hummed out happy noises that had Paul growling in excitement. His lips trailed fire along her neck as his hands slid down her back before squeezing her ass harshly. "Fucking sexy…" he mumbled before claiming her lips with his own.

Heat, spice, and worn leather. He tasted like sex and sensuality. Stars flashed across Bella's eyes as they slid shut, her mouth working against his as best she could.

"Kiss me." He growled as he pulled back. His dark eyes locked with her own, desire very apparent in their depths. His chest was heaving against Bella's and he continuously rubbed himself against her sensually. He claimed her lips once more, before pulling back and taking her bottom lip between his teeth. The sting of the bite was covered by a sweep of his tongue, and his taste exploded in Bella's mouth.

"Kiss. Me." He demanded again.

Embarrassed suddenly, Bella flushed. "I don't know how." She sighed in pleasure as his mouth moved to her chin, pressing heated kisses against the skin, before moving to her neck, and then her throat. He stilled at her answer though and his eyes sought hers.

In the light from the fire, his gaze was full of heat and intent. "Don't know how?" He questioned, before he kissed her again. His mouth was hot and addictive causing Bella's hips to undulate against his arousal. She couldn't stop kissing him, untalented as she was, and the growls and rumbles he made had Bella panting.

She'd never felt like this before, heated and needy, near begging for a man. Her pathetic, failed attempts to kiss Edward could never compare. Nothing could compare to Paul, not that she would know from experience.

"I've never kissed someone before." She whispered, embarrassed once more. She pulled back, her body stilling its motions. She was calming, her rationality returning, and she looked around in a daze.

Paul growled at her answer, and he nuzzled the juncture of her neck. His arousal thrust against Bella's and she let out a sharp wail. "Are you innocent, Beautiful? Am I the first to touch you like this?" He seemed almost proud.

"Yes. I'm sorry." She felt awkward suddenly, and pulled away further. She felt cold again. Why had she told him that? She was so dumb. Why would Paul want someone like her when he could probably have anyone he wanted?

She slid down his body, and glanced away to look behind her. There were three wolves, their bodies huge, and six others surrounded her father and Sue, their gazes locked on Bella.

The wolves were still, eyes hardly visible in the firelight, and saliva dripped down their bared teeth. Carlie looked appalled and Sue was sobbing uncontrollably even as one of the men ran back towards her with a tissue box.

"Here, Sue." The man said, awkwardly patting the woman on the back. He looked uncomfortable, and—Bella suddenly realized—naked.

"Charlie!" Sue wailed as a fresh wave of tears hit her once she connected eyes with Bella.

Bella felt tears welling in her own eyes at Sue's upset, what had she done? Normal had long since flown out the window, and the fine- _ness_ of the situation was destroyed.

She stilled when Paul's hand grasped her chin in a tight grip and pulled her gaze back to his. His expression was serious, mouth tight, but then he smiled. "Don't apologize, Beautiful. You are mine, your body will be mine. The fact that you are pure is fucking amazing, because I will be the first and only man who touches you."

His large hand cupped her cheek and he pushed her hair back behind her ears, stilling when he noticed them. "Pointed…" He murmured in awe. "You're fae?"

"I'm sorry?"

Paul rubbed the tips of her ears, and Bella whimpered in response. "Sensitive," She whispered. "Don't touch, it makes me feel strange." She wrapped her hand around his wrist, barely able to reach across, and tugged his hand down.

He frowned, but did not stop the touch. "Beautiful, I'll touch you any way I fucking want. You are mine, _these_ are mine," He cupped both ears, his thumb and first fingers pinching the cartilage gently and tugging the tips. He laughed when she cried out and buried her face into his chest.

He bent down next to her ear and whispered, "Do you know how fucking sexy that is? The fact that I'm going to take your virginity, be the first to taste your pussy. I bet I could make you come by touching your ears alone, Beautiful."

Bella shivered, and flowers bloomed around their feet, wrapping happily around Paul's legs. He looked down, startled, and then back to her face. "Fae," He mumbled, "But something else as well…your smell…" He buried his nose into her hair, sucking in deep breaths, and a pleased rumble came from his chest. "Mine." He hissed.

"Calm the fuck _down_ , Paul." Someone snarled and Paul's head shot up in response, an angry growl came from his mouth.

"Sam." Paul nodded before nuzzling at Bella once more, happy grumbles continuing.

Bella heard footsteps approaching and Paul seized up, tensed, and pushed her behind him. "Don't interfere, Samuel."

Bella peered around Paul's wide frame, slipping her hand around his waist to brush at his bare stomach.

"She's dangerous, Paul. Fuck, she sucked Jared, Collin, and Seth into the ground! Did you not witness the shit that just happened?"

"Yes." Paul nodded, sounding pleased. He bent down to pick Bella's sweater up off the ground, and gently helped her pull it back on.

Sam frowned, but then he was laughing, slapping Paul on the shoulder in comradery. "Who ever thought that the man whore of La Push would imprint? Your women are going to cry."

Bella froze, jealousy consuming her. "Women?" She asked, already knowing the answer, but she didn't really want to truth.

Like Bella, Paul froze, body haltingly turning to face her. "Now, Beautiful…"

"It's Bella." She smarted back, pushing him away.

" _Goddamn it, Sam!"_ He roared, taking a step towards Bella only to be stilled when tendrils of weeds locked his feet down. "You're beautiful to me, so the name's only fitting."

"Hardly." Bella laughed. Everything seemed to wilt around them; the leaves darkened to molded brown, the grass lost its green, and trees seemed to fall limp to the ground.

He frowned, his body jerking against the weeds that held him. "Listen to me, Beautiful, it's not what you think."

"Of course not."

"There's no other woman."

"Right, just women, plural. Do you nearly have sex with every woman that throws themselves at you? Is there like, a waitlist?" She felt cold, and bitter, but mainly cold.

"No." Paul's voice was calm, his eyes locked on her face, and Bella bit her lip before dropping her eyes to the ground. "There's only you. I only see you."

She looked up, searching his eyes, before biting her lip and nodding in understanding. "Sorry, I suck at personal stuff." His ankles were released and he hurriedly swept Bella into his arms. Life returned to the nature around them when they touched.

"It's alright, Beautiful, no harm no foul."

"That's bullshit, Paul. She could have fuckin harmed us!" Leah snarled, and Bella whipped to face her.

"Leah-,"

"No, fuck you, Sam. Are you just going to let some freak around the pack? Around humans?"

Paul snarled. "Watch your mouth, Clearwater, or I'll rip your fucking throat out." Sue began to sob again, horrible sounds coming from her chest. "Will someone get her a fucking tissue?" He shouted in exasperation. "Jesus, Sue, I've never seen you ball this much. No one died, everything is cool."

Jared snorted. "I gave her a fucking box, man. She keeps wailing like a drowning cat." He winked at Bella—she flushed in response and buried her face in Paul's chest.

Charlie stepped forward with an angry look visible in the firelight. "Paul Lahote, you unhand my daughter immediately."

Paul laughed in response. "Not likely, Chief."

"Excuse me?"

"I won't be unhanding your daughter, Charlie."

Her father reared back, apparently he was really surprised by Paul's answer. "What did you say to me, Lahote?"

"I won't be unhanding your daughter, Sir."

"Want to explain your reasoning before I ignore my badge and shoot you?"

Paul laughed a sexy timbre and his lips left a heated trail of kisses along Bella's skin, before he buried his face in her throat. He took a deep breath and looked at her father, "She's mine."

* * *

 **Next Time…**

 _Her purity was ironic, comical even, considering Paul's reputation. He'd had women, hell, he'd fucked damn near everyone in La Push and Forks. He wasn't stupid, he knew this would burn her and cause Bella unneeded pain. His past haunted Paul too, had him grimacing in embarrassment, because she was perfect and he was complete shit. Sure, he'd gained some wealth from owning the pack's construction company. His job as a deputy had been a desperate attempt to raise his place in reservation society, and to put an end to the constant sneers and snide remarks he received._

 _How was she his? The whole situation felt unreal, like he'd wake up tomorrow and everything would be a dream_.

* * *

 _(A/N):_ Okay, so I originally had two chapters posted, but I consolidated them into one, because my next chapter is about twenty k.

I have a few one shots and multi chapters coming up; here is a list of my intentions:

 **Twilight/X-Men:** Bella X James H./Logan/Wolverine

 **Twilight/Avengers:** Bella X Clint B./Hawkeye, Bella X Bruce B./Hulk, Bella X Tony S./Iron Man

 **Twilight/Sons of Anarchy:** Bella X Opie, Bella X Jax T.

 **Twilight/Batman:** Bella X Bruce Wayne/Batman

 **Twilight/Vampire Diaries:** Bella X Klause, Bella X Elija, Bella X Kol


	2. Author Update

So...Its been awhile...

Let me start off by apologizing profusely-seriously _I'm so sorry._

To assuage your fears- **I am not dropping this story.**

My Beta is busy with school right now and I'm not faring any better. Honestly, everything is so intense and I have zero time for personal (FanFiction) breaks. I have multiple chapters in progress, but they are not complete. I'm coming up on spring break next week; I plan to relax on the beach, burn to a crisp, and focus (cross your fingers) on pumping out some chapters!

I know I will get some angry reviews because I'm posting an author update and not a new chapter, but please, please, please forgive me!

To reiterate-I am very sorry, I am not dropping this story, and I hope to publish some chapters over spring break.

Apologetically yours,

Sythe


End file.
